Time, it is a constant for all beings. It cannot be stopped, it cannot be slowed. All mortal beings feel its coil and try to defy it, but in the end, we are all slaves to it. It has been, since the dawn of existence, that I have guarded the very fabric of time. The temporal caverns have been closed for over 1,000 years. But magics from afar have stirred the fabric of time. An old enemy has reemerged, and it would seem that he brings magics of his own to try and enter the weave of history. He will come to the Palace that guards the Caverns. Now I must send my envoy to a city of Heroes. I have watched them from a far hold back the darkness of the Consul. I can protect time, but I cannot enter the flow of time for I must maintain the defense of the palace that surrounds the caverns. My hopes are that these heroes can enter the ribbon of time and protect it from my old enemy, and from him altering history…

Wind blew quietly across the dessert plain on a long forgotten island. A Grime Encrusted boot hit the ground, a large twisted sword being dragged haphazardly behind a flowing tattered cape. The long silvered hair of Celeste blew in the gentle breeze from underneath her helmet. The dark purple glow emanating from the eyes of the helmet flashed to life. She looked ahead of her as the sand began to settle from the wind blowing. As it did and her vision cleared, in front of her stood a beautiful intricately carved palace. The wall around the palace was littered with runes and markings made of precious stones. The doors were large and bore a unique symbol upon it, an hour glass with a sword and axe carved behind it. But what took Celeste back for a second was the armored warrior who stood alone in front of the gate. There, he stood in royal blue robes, the cowl covering most of his face. But you could see the beginnings of an ornate helmet under the cowl. A silvered chest plate and Pauldrons were strapped tightly over the robe. From the arms of the robe came gauntleted hands that held a staff in one hand and a sword made of shimmering diamond in the other. Celeste summed up the warrior in front of her and smirked under her grim visage of armor. “Out of my way Mortal, I will enter the palace.”

The robed figure looked up slowly, the metallic face plate reflecting the light in the area, “My old enemy, you shall not pass through this gate.” The voice was stern and strong.

“I’ve never met you before mortal, I would know if I had. Either way, move, or die.” Celeste held her sword up, pointing it at the warrior. Moving his staff he swung it around and shot a bolt from it, hitting Celeste, who suffered no damage, but when recovered, Celeste’s voice no longer spoke, only a deep hissing voice. “Chrona, my old friend, I see you still guard your dusty old palace just as always. Collecting dust like all the other artifacts here.”

“You are not my friend Darga, you betrayed us when you fell in line with Evil. Your essence was so tainted you couldn’t even die peacefully! Now be gone with you or I shall slay you for a second time.” The robed warrior took a pose ready for battle.

“You will….wait…no…no….NOOOOO!!!” With that, Celeste’s body fell to its knees, head slumped down. “im….Im….Im…poss…ible….” The voice whispered. Then, Celeste slowly stood back up, the two voices talking as one again, “Know your place Plague Lord, I am your host, not your slave. Push me away again and I will terminate this connection for good.”Chrona looked in shock and his stance inadvertently relaxed a small bit, “She overpowered Darga, her power must be incredible.” Then Chrona retook his stance as dead began to rise from the ground. As the dead rose, Celeste charged Chrona. The two exchanged blows and magical attacks for some time. Until their weapons collided and in an explosion of magical might, they were sent flying from each other. As Chrona hit the Palace doors and landed, he looked and saw his sword was shattered down to the hilt. Looking back up quickly in disbelief, Celeste was already standing again. Pushing his battered body up, he raised his staff and began chanting. With a powerful slam into the ground, the doors opened and he headed in. As he did, a barrier formed around the Palace. Running to the entrance of the caverns, he placed his staff in a dais and the shield around the Palace intensified. Outside, Celeste tried to attack the shield to no avail.

“That should be about all the time Beatrix needed. Stay in your bubble Chrona, We’ll see you soon.” With that, Celeste turned, and looking at the succubus near her she nodded. The Succubus let out a shrill scream and the undead minions began to attack the gate.

Elsewhere….

As the airships land and dock at the port, a tired group of heroes returns to the main city. The silver Chevalier throws her dented and burned shield down and sits on the nearest bench. “Those Kobolds were endless.” She said with much exhaustion in her voice.

“Kobolds!? KOBOLDS!? How about the giant turtles with cannons on their backs shooting at me!?” Exclaimed the Fae alchemist.

“We defeated the dragon in the cavern, let’s just rest,” Said the deeproot wolf rider dismounting her large wolf. The group watched as a large hawk that was blue and teal land on the dock by them. With a swirl of feathers and wind, the bird transformed into a robed elvish woman.

“My name is Freyja, I come from a distant land, forgotten, but never gone. I am here to plead for your help on behalf of my master.” Walking to the group that just returned she took out a scrying orb. “The Undead armies of the Lord of Plagues have reached the Temporal Caverns, and in doing so has spread our resources too thin. Now, the witch queen Beatrix has sent her most trusted Necromancer into the very flow of time to alter history. The longer we wait, the more of a chance that our present time will change and that the Lord of Plagues could defeat us without us even being born.” The group looked cautiously into the scrying orb and saw that she spoke the truth. “The Palace is safe, but in order to get you there, I will need to summon you a portal here so that you can enter past it’s protective barrier. In order to do that, I will need a list of items to perform the ritual. Please, gather anyone you can to aid you, the faster we enter, the sooner we can preserve the time line…”